Lauren Webber
Biography
Born 1984 Boston, USA
Lives and works between Harare, Zimbabwe and Boston
Lauren is a fine artist who explores themes of feminism, anti-imperialism and power structures within societies. Lauren’s practice uses her life as a platform for analyzing the history of societies, as well as art history through the prism of feminism and anti- imperialism. Having moved to live in Zimbabwe in 2014, the negotiation of polarities of culture, society and history between USA and Zimbabwe has provided a rich source of material for analysis of the history of West’s engagement with Africa (present and historical), as well as a person passage and a reconnection on identity as a constantly evolving construct. Currently, Webber uses her fine art training to create digital collages, printed with archival inks onto stretched canvas. Titled “Mythologies”, Webber’s latest body of work explores the nuances of female imagery and aims to create a mythology for her remixed female characters. Her collages explore strong female identities and build worlds for them to move into. Drawing upon thousands of source images, some are handmade then digitally treated; and, others are appropriated from open internet sources. Webber uses her visual language to critique and explore patriarchal power structures. The result is a complicated and layered remix of Shona (Zimbabwean) and American culture, paying homage to both societies’ historical roots.
Education
2013: Rhode Island School of Design, BFA Photography. University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Majored in Studio Arts, 2006-2007
2005: University of Vermont, Majored in Psychology and Spanish, 2003-2005
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2024: Mythologies, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2017: Muroora, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2012: Everything is new - Red Eye Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design
Group Exhibitions
2022: Making Space (online)(Aasha, Teede, Webber, Mutema, Mwandiambira, Mushate, Tauzeni)
2017: Hello Harare - Collaging the City, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2016: 'I am because you are', First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2015: But he doesn’t have anything on – Commune.1, Cape Town, South Africa
2015: Motherland/Otherland, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2014: RAW, Venue, Boston, MA 2012 Senior Invitational Exhibition, Woods Gerry Gallery, RISD
2012: Senior Photography Exhibition, Woods Gerry Gallery, RISD, 2012 PRC Student Exhibition, Photographic Resource Center, Boston, MA, USA
2012: This is Documentary, Red Eye Gallery, RISD, 2011 Coping, Film screening, Cable Car Cinema
2011: Photography Triennial, Woods Gerry Gallery, RISD
Awards
2012, 2010 Dean’s List, Full Tuition Scholarship, Rhode Island School of Design
http://portfolios.risd.edu/LaurenWebber
Born 1984 Boston, USA
Lives and works between Harare, Zimbabwe and Boston
Lauren is a fine artist who explores themes of feminism, anti-imperialism and power structures within societies. Lauren’s practice uses her life as a platform for analyzing the history of societies, as well as art history through the prism of feminism and anti- imperialism. Having moved to live in Zimbabwe in 2014, the negotiation of polarities of culture, society and history between USA and Zimbabwe has provided a rich source of material for analysis of the history of West’s engagement with Africa (present and historical), as well as a person passage and a reconnection on identity as a constantly evolving construct. Currently, Webber uses her fine art training to create digital collages, printed with archival inks onto stretched canvas. Titled “Mythologies”, Webber’s latest body of work explores the nuances of female imagery and aims to create a mythology for her remixed female characters. Her collages explore strong female identities and build worlds for them to move into. Drawing upon thousands of source images, some are handmade then digitally treated; and, others are appropriated from open internet sources. Webber uses her visual language to critique and explore patriarchal power structures. The result is a complicated and layered remix of Shona (Zimbabwean) and American culture, paying homage to both societies’ historical roots.
Education
2013: Rhode Island School of Design, BFA Photography. University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Majored in Studio Arts, 2006-2007
2005: University of Vermont, Majored in Psychology and Spanish, 2003-2005
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2024: Mythologies, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2017: Muroora, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2012: Everything is new - Red Eye Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design
Group Exhibitions
2022: Making Space (online)(Aasha, Teede, Webber, Mutema, Mwandiambira, Mushate, Tauzeni)
2017: Hello Harare - Collaging the City, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2016: 'I am because you are', First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2015: But he doesn’t have anything on – Commune.1, Cape Town, South Africa
2015: Motherland/Otherland, First Floor Gallery Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe
2014: RAW, Venue, Boston, MA 2012 Senior Invitational Exhibition, Woods Gerry Gallery, RISD
2012: Senior Photography Exhibition, Woods Gerry Gallery, RISD, 2012 PRC Student Exhibition, Photographic Resource Center, Boston, MA, USA
2012: This is Documentary, Red Eye Gallery, RISD, 2011 Coping, Film screening, Cable Car Cinema
2011: Photography Triennial, Woods Gerry Gallery, RISD
Awards
2012, 2010 Dean’s List, Full Tuition Scholarship, Rhode Island School of Design
http://portfolios.risd.edu/LaurenWebber